Research and Experimental Psychology: is it worth it?
A 0–100 score blending this major’s national earnings, ROI and typical debt. How it’s scored.
National picture across 61 college programs, at a typical net price.
Graduate earnings clearly outpace the cost and debt — this degree pays back quickly.
What Research and Experimental Psychology pays
Career outlook for Research and Experimental Psychology graduates
The job market for the occupations Research and Experimental Psychology graduates typically enter, projected through 2034 — from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. This is the demand side, complementing the IRS-verified graduate earnings above.
Top jobs for this major
| Occupation | U.S. jobs | Growth to 2034 | Median pay | Typical entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Managers, all other | 1,333,700 | +4.5% | $136,550 | Bachelor's degree |
| Child, family, and school social workers | 399,900 | +3.4% | $58,570 | Bachelor's degree |
| Health specialties teachers, postsecondary | 289,600 | +17.3% | $105,620 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Medical scientists, except epidemiologists | 165,300 | +8.7% | $100,590 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Clinical and counseling psychologists | 76,300 | +11.2% | $95,830 | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Biological scientists, all other | 63,700 | +1.2% | $93,330 | Bachelor's degree |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections (2024–34) & the NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk. Occupation pay is the national median wage for the role — not the same as graduate earnings, which we draw from IRS records.
Research and Experimental Psychology vs similar majors
How Research and Experimental Psychology stacks up against the closest fields in Psychology on pay, debt, ROI and the DR Rating. The best figure in each row is highlighted.
| Research and Experimental Psychology Psychology · this major | Clinical, Counseling and Applied Psychology | Psychology, Other | Psychology, General | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DR Rating | 44 D | 47 D | 27 F | 26 F |
| ROI verdict | Strong return | Strong return | Break-even | Poor return |
| Median earnings (5 yr) | $59,749 | $67,355 | $58,183 | $50,522 |
| Median earnings (1 yr) | $37,977 | $54,150 | $53,046 | $32,959 |
| ROI vs cost | +82% | +136% | +40% | -32% |
| Typical debt | $25,202 | $62,078 | $60,822 | $24,340 |
| Colleges offering it | 61 | 395 | 28 | 1,203 |
Research and Experimental Psychology earnings over time
National median earnings one year after graduating, by cohort year — the consistent measure available across the federal data’s history.
Best colleges for Research and Experimental Psychology
Ranked by the ROI of this major at each college — its graduate earnings against the cost.
| # | College | Credential | Earnings (5 yr) | Median debt | 10-yr ROI | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI | Master's | $103,449 | — | +2,124% | Strong return |
| 2 | Harvard University Cambridge, MA | Associate's | $102,305 | — | +1,403% | Strong return |
| 3 | University of Chicago Chicago, IL | Associate's | $84,957 | $17,500 | +1,007% | Strong return |
| 4 | University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA | Associate's | $78,384 | $16,570 | +972% | Strong return |
| 5 | University of California-San Diego La Jolla, CA | Associate's | $70,223 | $14,814 | +731% | Strong return |
| 6 | California State University-San Bernardino San Bernardino, CA | Associate's | $57,240 | $18,125 | +678% | Strong return |
| 7 | Columbia University in the City of New York New York, NY | Associate's | $80,055 | $19,347 | +598% | Strong return |
| 8 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI | Certificate | $80,389 | — | +573% | Strong return |
| 9 | Northwestern University Evanston, IL | Associate's | $84,007 | — | +569% | Strong return |
| 10 | University of California-Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA | Associate's | $66,321 | $14,500 | +469% | Strong return |
| 11 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI | Associate's | $63,419 | $17,787 | +462% | Strong return |
| 12 | University of California-Irvine Irvine, CA | Associate's | $62,639 | $13,000 | +431% | Strong return |
| 13 | University of California-Davis Davis, CA | Associate's | $62,401 | $12,866 | +409% | Strong return |
| 14 | Trinity Washington University Washington, DC | Associate's | $59,760 | $37,011 | +360% | Strong return |
| 15 | University of Delaware Newark, DE | Associate's | $61,576 | $23,883 | +274% | Strong return |
| 16 | University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus Denver, CO | Associate's | $55,965 | $18,062 | +261% | Strong return |
| 17 | University of Rochester Rochester, NY | Associate's | $67,923 | $21,000 | +246% | Strong return |
| 18 | Smith College Northampton, MA | Associate's | $62,558 | $18,114 | +184% | Strong return |
| 19 | Northeastern University Boston, MA | Associate's | $64,262 | $23,250 | +174% | Strong return |
| 20 | The University of Texas at Dallas Richardson, TX | Associate's | $55,847 | $17,250 | +153% | Strong return |
| 21 | University of Saint Francis-Fort Wayne Fort Wayne, IN | Associate's | $53,792 | — | +142% | Strong return |
| 22 | Bay Path University Longmeadow, MA | Certificate | $58,676 | — | +140% | Strong return |
| 23 | Northern Michigan University Marquette, MI | Associate's | $51,495 | — | +131% | Strong return |
| 24 | Eastern Washington University Cheney, WA | Associate's | $52,837 | $19,134 | +126% | Strong return |
| 25 | Canisius University Buffalo, NY | Associate's | $54,352 | $24,775 | +108% | Strong return |
Related majors
Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard. ROI is computed by Degree Return — see how. Read the methodology. Data as of 2024.